IMPACT OF WASTEWATER EFFLUENTS ON PHYSICO-CHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF GROUNDWATER

Abstract

A significant number of today’s groundwater contamination problems stem from man’s activities and can be introduced into groundwater from variety of sources. One of the major source of groundwater contamination are the surface impoundments used by municipalities and industries which dispose off wastewater without treatment to the receiving bodies or used by farmers for agriculture purpose. This research work was carried to investigate the contamination level of groundwater by determination of physical and chemical properties of groundwater and to recommend the preventive measures for the reduction of contamination level of groundwater. It was observed that the groundwater quality is deteriorated because of higher concentration of electrical conductivity ranging from 3348 to 6333 µS/cm as compared to E. U. guideline value of 4000 µS/cm, shows the increase of 8 to 18 times, whereas, the total dissolved solids range between 1992 to 4018 mg/l indicates three times increase and hardness ranges from 520 to 977 mg/l indicates two times higher values as compared to WHO standards. It is recommended that only treated wastewater may be used for the growing of vegetable and crops after the complete investigation of physical, chemical and biological characteristics of wastewater effluents. Preventive measures must be taken for reduction of contaminated wastewater intrusion up to the groundwater.